Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer says superstar small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was cleared by the medical staff as good to go despite the right ankle tweak he suffered in the first quarter of Game 3 against the Miami Heat.
Budenholzer also admitted he doesn't regret playing Antetokounmpo only 35 minutes.
In fact, the former Coach of the Year said playing Antetokounmpo and All-Star small forward Khris Middleton 35 to 36 minutes a night is “pushing the ceiling,” per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
Budenholzer says Giannis/Middleton playign 35-36 minutes is “pushing the ceiling”…wow
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) September 5, 2020
The Bucks' season is basically over. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs and the Heat are clearly the more confident group right now.
Mike Budenholzer can say whatever he wants to the media, but anyone who watched Game 3 knows Giannis Antetokounmpo should have played more minutes. The Bucks' season was on the line and the reigning MVP only played 35 minutes, although he was seen multiple times grimacing in pain after every play and appeared to be a step slow, including on one possession in which he was posterized by Bam Adebayo while trying to contest a dunk late.
It's going to be very interesting to see what happens with the Bucks moving forward. Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign the supermax extension with Milwaukee this offseason. If he declines it, Antetokounmpo can become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. He's already been linked to the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Heat.
Could Budenholzer's future be in jeopardy, too? It's quite possible since the Bucks were picked to win the title this season.